Review Nightmare (1964)

[Sunflower007]

~ I just saw Nightmare today. This flick was an awesome spine tingling horror/mystery. The tale centers around a young English girl who is returning to her home from boarding school. She is still having these recurring dreams of watching her Mother kill her Father. So the child fears that she is having the same mental problems as her mother. Series of craziness has been occurring also her nightmares. It has a thrilling plot and the twist in the end was great. I give this film 9 stars.


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"Ask me if I need him
Get him out of my way
These are
These are the games
These are the games
These are the only games I play"

By: Falsettos

 

[Doctor Omega]

Nightmare is a 1964 British horror film directed by Freddie Francis and written by Jimmy Sangster who produced the film for Hammer Films.

The film focuses on a young girl in a finishing school who is plagued by nightmares concerning her institutionalized mother.


Plot

Spoiler

Janet (Elizabeth Dear & Jennie Linden), a girl at finishing school who 6 years ago saw her mother (Isla Cameron) stab her father to death, is plagued by nightmares. (Her mother, following the tragedy, was committed to an asylum.) Miss Lewis (Brenda Bruce), a teacher, takes Janet home; and in the absence of Henry Baxter (David Knight), Janet's guardian, they are met by John (George A. Cooper), the chauffeur; Mrs. Gibbs (Irene Richmond), the housekeeper; and Grace Maddox (Moira Redmond), an attractive nurse-companion hired by Henry. Miss Lewis leaves Janet in Grace's care. The nightmares continue: a white-shrouded woman (Clytie Jessop) roams the corridors, inviting Janet to burst into her parents' room where she finds the same woman on the bed with a knife in her chest. When Henry returns he finds Janet under sedation; her doctors recommend psychiatric care; but he refuses, and Janet tries to commit suicide. Henry's wife comes to tea, and because she seems to be the woman in Janet's nightmares, Janet stabs the woman to death and is promptly committed to an institution. The woman in white is revealed to be Grace, disguised with a wig and mask and in cahoots with Henry. They marry, but Grace begins believing that Henry is trying to drive her mad. Under the impression that Janet has escaped from the asylum, Grace stabs Henry to death, expecting Janet to be blamed. Janet, however, never left the asylum, and Grace is brought to justice.

Cast

• David Knight as Henry Baxter
• Moira Redmond as Grace Maddox
• Jennie Linden as Janet
• Brenda Bruce as Mary Lewis
• George A. Cooper as John
• Clytie Jessop as Woman in White
• Irene Richmond as Mrs. Gibbs
• John Welsh as Doctor
• Timothy Bateson as Barman

Production and release

Jennie Linden was an 11th hour casting choice replacing Julie Christie who dropped out to do the film Billy Liar. The film was shot with the working title Here's the Knife Dear: Now Use It.[3] This was the final film performance of American actor David Knight who subsequently focused on theatre work.


Nightmare was released in the United Kingdom on 19 April 1964,[4] and received a release in the United States on 19 June 1964.

AllMovie called the film an "effective little chiller that packs a surprising punch for a film of its age."